A massive, violent upsurge in repression has occured in Haiti during the past four days, aimed at silencing the Lavalas movement and supporters of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Haiti. On Thursday September 30, Haitian police fired upon thousands of unarmed demonstrators who called for the return of constitutional order. On Saturday October 2, police surrounded a private radio station where three leading Lavalas parliamentarians had denounced the violence on the air. After a six hour standoff, police stormed the building and arrested them without warrant. Dozens of other Lavalas activists have been illegally arrested in the past few days, and the police have conducted raids on the populous neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, which are the backbone of the Lavalas movement. Bel Air, located in the center of the city, is under virtual siege.

On Friday October 15th, from 6:30 to 8:30pm at United Presbyterian Church, 112 E. Beach St. in Watsonville, the Haiti Action Committee will present information gathered on a recent trip to Haiti. They will discuss the recent human rights abuses occurring there, as well as the potential for resistance and democracy taking place again in Haiti.

They will also be in Santa Cruz on Saturday October 16th, from 11am to 1pm at the Resource Center for Nonviolence.

[ Indybay's Haiti Page I Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti I Haiti Action Committee I Flashpoints Radio ]